Stilt construction



F. A. REICH STILT CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 24, 1959 INVENTOR.

FRED AQWR/FICH BY M TORNEY HIS AT Li tzl l| :II

May 23, 1961 Ufl dst te This invention relates to stilts having footrests of adjustable height and, more particularly, to a new and improved stilt construction enabling the use of light-weight, decorative or transparent materials and, most important, providing for rapid and easy repositioning of the footrest relative to the pole of the stilt without necessitating the employment of separate attachments, foot support loops surrounding the rod, and the like.

In the past many types of adjustable stilts have been devised. Those of which the inventor is aware are believed to be deficient in some respects. Of prime importance in adjustable stilt construction is that the attachment of the footrest of the stilt be positive and reliable, yet with the the footrest being easily di'sassociated from the 'pole for a new adjustment. It would be highly desirable if this adjustment could be accomplished without the necessity of nuts and bolts or other associated attachments; further, the cost of construction would be reduced by eliminating from footrest design the guide loops generally found encircling the stilt pole. Further, in present times it is highly desirable, both from a cost picture and a decorative point of view, that the major parts of the stilt construction employ a plastic or spun-glass material, with metal being used for purposes of strength only in those areas where the footrest structure and the pole connect.

atcnt O Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful adjustable stilt construction wherein removable placement of the foot support relative to the stilt is accomplished in an extremely easy manner, and this with avoiding the use of conventional attachments, guide loops, and so forth.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new type stilt which will lend itself to fabrication principally from plastics or spun-glass, for example.

According to the present invention, in a preferred form thereof, the cylindrical pole of the stilt is fabricated entirely from spun-glass or other suitable material. The pole is provided with an indented area of reduced thickness and elongated character. Steel or other metallic plates back this indented area and holes are line-drilled or punched through the same in a vertical pattern. The footrest member is supplied with an upwardly turned, L-configured engaging end which may be hooked into and through a selected aperture in the pole. The footrest member is also supplied peg engagement means which, after placement of the L-configured end is accomplished, is positioned into a lower aperture. Downward pressures on the foot support will keep the peg securely in its aperture socket and the L-configured end of the foot support directly against the opposite side (plate) of the pole. Repositioning of the foot support on the pole is accomplished by the user merely pulling upwardly, in a slightly rotative direction, the foot support, thereby first releasing the peg from its aperture and subsequently the L-configured end of the support from its associated aperture.

It is essential in such an engagement construction as Patented May 23, 1961 is herein disclosed that the indented area of the pole be very thin. Round poles are used since they are easy to grasp by hand and lend a larger contact area with the ground or cement than a strip-like pole. The thin attachment area for the footrest is solved in the present invention by the pole exhibiting the aforementioned indented area, preferably on both sides of the pole. The metallic plates are inserted into the indented area merely to give strength to the footrest attachment where it is needed. The indented areas additionally provide a foot support channel area which may lock the foot support against tendencies of rotational displacement thereof about a vertical axis.

Conceivably materials other than plastics or glass may be employed in the pole construction, such as aluminum, with the extended areas being formed into the aluminum cylindrical pole. However, for purposes of appearance, sharpness of the indented channel receiving the footrest, and the thinness of the indented area itself the inventor prefers to use the glass and metal materials as above described.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, 'both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a pair of walking stilts of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, side elevation of one of the footrest members which may be incorporated in the stilt construction.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the footrest member shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 1, illustrating the indented, medial portion of the pole construction, andthe footrest member being removed for clarity.

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 4 when the footrest member is removably mounted to the pole of the stilt.

Figure 6 is a view in cross-section, taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken along the lines 7-7 in Figure 4, illustrating the method of attachment of the metallic plates to the indented area when such are used.

Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged, additional embodiments of the footrest member usuable in the stilt construction.

In Figure 1 each of the stilts 10 includes a cylindrical pole member 11 and a footrest member 12. While it is conceivable that the cylindrical pole member may constitute a unitary part, yet is believed desirable that the pole member 11 be constituted by a non-metallic pole 13 and a pair of metallic plates 14. See Figure 4 in this regard. In such a construction the non-metallic pole 13 may be made from a suitable, light-weight material such as spun-glass, a material quite popular for fishing rods. In any event, it is important that the elongated, indented, medial portion 15 provided be Very thin and preferably fiat and indented on both sides to provide footrest retaining channel C and receiving channel R. It is essential for the attachment of the footrest member to the cylindrical pole that the attachment area of the pole be quite thin and near the pole axis. Where spun-glass material is used for the cylindrical rod, then a pair of metallic plates 14 may stiffen the thin portion 16 of the pole, with the plates of the pole being secured together by means of nut and screw attachments 17 and 18 as shown in Figure 7. Thus, footrest channel C is formed.

The design of the footrest member will now be con- 3 sidered. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of the footrest member, whereas Figures 8 and 9 illustrate separate embodiments of this member.

In Figures 2 and 3 the footrest member 12 is shown to consist of a foot support 19 which includes a support portion flange 20, a vertical stifiening flange 21, and attachment flange 22. Foot support 19 may also be an integral part, formed of glass material, for example. A metallic retaining member 23 is secured to the attachment flange 22 of foot support 19 by means of nut and countersunk screw attachments 24 and 25. The retaining member in Figures 2 and 3 has a principal portion 26 secured to the foot support 19 and also a pair of ends, the upper end 27 being of an upwardly turned, L-shaped configuration and a lower end. constituting a peg 28. In turning to Figures and 6 it is seen that the footrest member in Figures 2 and 3 is secured to the medial, indented area of the stilt pole by first inserting the L-configured end 27 within one of the apertures and into channel R and then the peg means in the lower aperture, the latter frictionally engaging its associated aperture. By this manner of attachment the employment of fasteners, loop configurations for the footrest, and other complex mechanisms are avoided. To disengage the footrest member 12 of Figures 2 and 3 from the stilt construction, the user need only withdraw the peg 28 from its aperture and then urge upwardly, in a clockwise rotative movement the footrest member 12 so as to disengage the L-configured.

end 27 from its associated aperture. The repositioning of the footrest member is accomplished by repeating the process above described.

Additional embodiments of the footrest member are shown in Figures 8 and 9. The retaining member 23 in Figure 8 is identical to that shown in Figures 2 and 3. The foot support 20, instead of having a plurality of flanges, is a solid block of non-metallic material such as glass or plastic. In this event, countersunk screws 29 may be employed to secure the retaining member 23 i portions terminating an L-configured end portion '43 and a peg portion 44. Ends.,43 and 44 may be formed by shoulders 45 and 46, respectively, so that there will be no danger, when inserting the footrest element of Figure 9 in the pole construction, of slippage of the footrest element beyond its intended seat. The withdrawal and reinsertion of the footrest element in Figure 9 in other ones of the apertures A is accomplished in identical manner to that described with reference to the footrest member of Figures 2 and 3. The same also applies to the Figure 8 embodiment.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the'true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A pair of walking stilts each including, in combination, a cylindrical pole member having an elongated, indented, medial portion indented on both sides and defining at least an inwardly disposed, footrest retaining, vertical channel and a receiving channel opposite thereto, said medial portion being provided with a plurality of mutually spaced, lateral, vertically aligned apertures; and a footrest member including an L-configured retaining means hooked through one of said apertures into said receiving channel and peg means engaging a lower one of said apertures, said footrest being removably secured within said vertical channel by said retaining means and said peg means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said cylindrical pole member comprises: a light-weight, non-metallic, cylindrical pole having an elongated, flat, thin, indented medial portion provided with a plurality of mutually spaced, vertically aligned apertures; a pair of thin metallic platesdisposed on opposite sides of said indented medial portion; and means for securing said metallic plates to said indented medial portion; each of said plates having a plurality of mutually spaced, vertically aligned apertures in alignment with said pole apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 870,439 Kade Nov. 5, 1905 1,264,047 Flegel Apr. 23, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS 369,309 France Jan. 9, 1907 

